Breastfeeding Frequency of 5/6-month-old? Let me hear your experiences...

[thanka2]

Curious to know. Other mamas out there, how often did/does your 5/6-month-old breastfeed during the day? How many feeds does he/she require? This is for the mamas who are still exclusively breastfeeding and babies who haven't yet started on solid foods of any sort.

I'm planning to try to rearrange my baby's feeding schedule a bit and I think that she can manage longer times between feeds. She's still taking about 8 feeds/day. At nighttime, I don't mind if she breastfeeds all night as she co-sleeps with us and it isn't any problem for me.

Last night, I was exhausted and fell asleep early and she was still hanging out with our helper. Apparently she fell asleep with the helper and slept from 10 pm until 6:30 am without a feed! Hmmm.... She's done this a few times in the past couple of months so that makes me think that she can manage longer periods between some of her daytime feeds as well.

Just curious to hear some experiences...

 

[Gataloca]

When my baby was around that age, he was also having around 8 feeds per day. I feed roughly every 3 hours + some cluster feed before bed + midnight feed. I read that when baby were 4 month old, one should be able to feed every 4 hours (Baby Whisperer). But I could never do it... probably I don't produce that much milk, so I had to feed my baby more frequently.

 

[TungBB]

My baby is 5 months old now. She is also having about 8 feeds per day. About every 3 hours during the day, cluster feed in the evening and one night feed at around 11-12.
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[Lali07]

Hi T2,

As all babies are different, your little one will tell you what is an appropriate time for her. After a usual feed, take note of how long it is before she is asking again. Some babies are happy to wait three hours and have a big feed, others prefer to have more frequent smaller feeds. It also depends somewhat on the mother's milk storage capacity. Even though most mothers can produce the same full milk supply, sometimes a smaller storage capacity means more frequent feeds. Its kind of like going to a diner and ordering a refillable soda! One person may choose a big cup, another may choose a small cup. Both people will still enjoy the same amount of soda, but the one with the smaller cup will have to go back to the drink fountain more often. Its not an indication of milk supply, just size of the container hehe!

My little guy nurses very regularly, the longest stretch at his own choosing would be somewhere around 2.5 hours...

Hope this helps!

Lali

 

[nicolejoy]

By 6 months, I think my daughter was already down to only 5-6 feeds a day! I was very much "baby-led" though so I didn't schedule it all... and my bottle-fed daughter was definitely on less feeds than my breastfed daughter - just because I hated to offer a bottle unless I was completely sure that she wanted it.

 

[banane76]

I'm trying to adjust my baby's feeding as well too...I think he's about 8 feeds a day as well...but I think he could go longer at night but half the night we are cosleeping since I fall asleep and end up offering him probably more than he needs so I'm going to try feeding him around midnight again tonight and see how long he can go before his next feed and eventually move midnight to around 10pm. Last night after a midnight feed, he went until 430am. We've been feeding on demand so I'm not really on a schedule and just feed him when he wakes up from his sleeps.

 

[thanka2]

Hi T2,

As all babies are different, your little one will tell you what is an appropriate time for her. After a usual feed, take note of how long it is before she is asking again. Some babies are happy to wait three hours and have a big feed, others prefer to have more frequent smaller feeds.

Yep, all babies really are different. This is my second child. My first is almost 4-years-old. I work during the day so I'm not around to feed "on demand" anymore.

Its not an indication of milk supply, just size of the container hehe!

Yeah, I've been through the milk supply issues and have domperidone I can take if I need to--I was doing that earlier in the summer. I don't think "container size" will be any sort of issue for me either.

 

[thanka2]

By 6 months, I think my daughter was already down to only 5-6 feeds a day! I was very much "baby-led" though so I didn't schedule it all... and my bottle-fed daughter was definitely on less feeds than my breastfed daughter - just because I hated to offer a bottle unless I was completely sure that she wanted it.

Yeah, if I could "nurse on demand" it would be different but as it is I'm having to pump but I really don't think that my daughter needs to have 8 feeds/day. She can eat/drink more in the evenings and less during the day, I think and she'll be fine. It's not a big deal when I'm on holiday and at home all the time or she's with me all the time because breastfeeding isn't any big deal but pumping, yeah, pumping is a pain (in more ways than one!)

 

[thanka2]

I'm trying to adjust my baby's feeding as well too...I think he's about 8 feeds a day as well...but I think he could go longer at night but half the night we are cosleeping since I fall asleep and end up offering him probably more than he needs so I'm going to try feeding him around midnight again tonight and see how long he can go before his next feed and eventually move midnight to around 10pm. Last night after a midnight feed, he went until 430am. We've been feeding on demand so I'm not really on a schedule and just feed him when he wakes up from his sleeps.

See, the night feedings don't bother me one bit, actually. I don't really "wake up" for them anyway. So, if my daughter nurses all night long, it doesn't really matter to me but the daytime feeds--during the day she wants to nurse every 2 hours and I don't think it's absolutely necessary. I think she gets thirsty a bit which is understandable. But, when she feeds from a bottle when I'm not home she sucks down milk really fast and I think she just wants to comfort suck so she acts like she's hungry. Anyway, if I can pump less during the day, that would make my already hectic life more manageable. Once I get home at like 5 pm she can latch on and breastfeed all night if she wants--I absolutely don't mind.

 

[Sarah_Lotus]

Have you tried using a cup instead of a bottle to give the milk? Babies usually take less from a cup. And a five to six month old should have no problems learning to drink from a cup. If she took less during the day it is likely she'll make up any shortfall at night when you are together.
Best wishes,
SARAH
www.lotuslactation.com